Tracking Henry VIII’s Weight Gain… Through His Armour

Did you know we can measure Henry VIII’s expanding waistline just by looking at his armour?
As a young king, Henry was tall, athletic, and an expert jouster, but by the end of his life, he had ballooned in size, struggling with mobility, illness, and royal excess. And thanks to his custom-made suits of armour, we can track just how much he grew!
From a trim 34-inch waist in his prime to a staggering 54 inches in his later years, his changing shape tells a fascinating story about his lifestyle, injuries, and health decline. But was it just his 1536 jousting accident that caused his extreme weight gain? Or was it the lavish Tudor feasting, lack of exercise, and sheer indulgence of being king?
Let’s dive into the numbers and see how Henry VIII quite literally grew into his larger-than-life reputation! What do you think caused Henry’s transformation? 
#TudorHistory #HenryVIII #RoyalHealth #TudorTrivia #HistoryMysteries #OnThisDay

The Tragic Falls of Catherine Howard & Jane Boleyn

On this day in Tudor history, 13th February 1542, Catherine Howard, Henry VIII’s young queen, met her brutal end. But was she truly guilty of treason? And why did Jane Boleyn, Lady Rochford, share her fate?
 
- A scandalous past, forbidden meetings, and the wrath of a dangerous king—Catherine’s downfall was swift and brutal.
- Jane Boleyn, a woman forever tied to the fall of Anne Boleyn, found herself entangled in yet another deadly royal drama.
 
Were these women victims, conspirators, or something in between?
 
Join me as I unravel the gripping final days of Catherine Howard and Jane Boleyn, and uncover the truth behind their tragic executions.
 
 
#TudorHistory #CatherineHoward #HenryVIII #OnThisDay #TudorQueens #AnneBoleyn #RoyalScandals #HistoryMysteries #JaneBoleyn

What If Henry VIII Had Accepted Mary as His Heir?

Would history have changed forever if Henry VIII had fully embraced Mary as his successor? Could England have had its first official ruling queen decades before Elizabeth I? And what if Mary had married James V of Scotland—would the Tudor and Stuart dynasties have united earlier?
 
In this week’s Sunday Q&A, I explore this fascinating alternate history! From dynastic politics to the religious struggles of the 16th century, we’ll unravel what actually happened, why Henry never truly saw Mary as his heir, and how history might have taken a different course.
 
- Would the English Civil War have happened at all?
- Could Mary have become a stronger, better-prepared queen?
- And was the world ready for a female monarch before Elizabeth I?
 
Let’s dive into the heir debate that could have changed everything!
 
#TudorHistory #MaryI #HenryVIII #WhatIfHistory #TudorDynasty #RoyalIntrigue #AlternateHistory

Henry VIII Banned Football

The Brutal Tudor Sport That Shocked Kings!
 
Think football is a rough game today? Tudor football was an entirely different beast—chaotic, lawless, and downright deadly. Henry VIII banned it in 1540, but he wasn’t the first! Monarchs before him had also tried to stop the game, but why?
 
This wasn’t the structured sport we know today. Picture entire villages battling it out, no rules, no referee, and injuries galore! Broken bones, bloody noses, even fatal accidents—Tudor football was more like a medieval battlefield than a pastime. And yet, the same Henry VIII who banned it had a pair of custom-made football boots!
 
But why did multiple kings fear the game so much? What does it have to do with archery, war, and even molehills? And is there anywhere you can still see medieval-style football played today?
 
Find out in today’s Saturday Trivia as we dive into the most dangerous sport in Tudor England! Do you think Henry VIII was right to ban it, or should people have been free to play?
 
#TudorHistory #HenryVIII #TudorSports #MedievalFootball #BannedByTheKing #HistoryTrivia #HistoricFootball

Pawn, Player, or Perfect Queen? Jane Seymour

She was the woman who replaced Anne Boleyn, the queen who finally gave Henry VIII a son, and the wife he never tired of. But was Jane Seymour truly the perfect Tudor queen—or just the perfect pawn?
 
- Was she a meek, obedient consort?
- Did she play the game and win?
- Or was she simply used by those around her?
 
Henry VIII’s courtship of Jane began while Anne Boleyn was still queen. But when did it really start? And how much did Jane truly know about the downfall of her predecessor?
 
Her story is one of quiet ambition, political manoeuvring, and, ultimately, tragic sacrifice.
 
What do you think—was Jane Seymour a pawn, a player, or Henry’s perfect queen? Listen now for the full story! 
 
#TudorHistory #JaneSeymour #HenryVIII #AnneBoleyn #TudorQueens #HistoryUncovered #OnThisDay

Betrayal, Power & Paranoia

The Fall of the Duke of Buckingham 
 
Edward Stafford, 3rd Duke of Buckingham, had everything—royal blood, vast wealth, and a place at the heart of Henry VIII’s court. But in 1521, his world came crashing down. Accused of treason, condemned in a rigged trial, and executed on Tower Hill, Buckingham’s downfall was a chilling warning to the nobility.
 
Was he truly plotting against the king, or was he a victim of Henry VIII’s paranoia and Cardinal Wolsey’s political scheming?
 
A powerful noble, a dramatic trial, and a brutal execution—this is the story of one of the Tudor era’s most shocking betrayals.
 
#TudorHistory #HenryVIII #DukeOfBuckingham #TudorScandal #RoyalBetrayal

Did Henry VIII & Arthur Tudor Have a Close Bond?

Henry VIII and his older brother, Arthur Tudor—were they close siblings or distant strangers? The answer might surprise you!
 
Despite being brothers, their lives were shaped by duty, distance, and very different upbringings. Arthur, as the heir to the throne, was raised in his own household, away from court, while young Henry was spoiled, surrounded by women, and never trained as a future king.
 
By the time Arthur tragically died at just 15, Henry had barely spent any time with him. But there’s one thing they did share… a wife!
 
So, was Henry’s relationship with Arthur truly distant, or is there more to the story? Find out in today’s Quick Q&A!
 
#TudorHistory #HenryVIII #ArthurTudor #TudorTrivia #RoyalBrothers #HistoryLover #MedievalHistory

Cardinal Wolsey’s Secret Family: A Scandalous Tudor Tale

When you think of Cardinal Thomas Wolsey, you imagine power, influence, and unwavering loyalty to Henry VIII. But behind the grandeur of Tudor politics lies a secret life filled with intrigue and scandal. Did you know that Wolsey, the Church’s highest-ranking official, had a mistress and two children?
 
Who was the mysterious Mistress Larke? What became of their children? And how did Wolsey juggle his sacred vows with his hidden family? Discover the story of a man torn between ambition, faith, and forbidden love.
 
Dive into the secret life of one of Tudor England’s most powerful figures—Cardinal Wolsey.
 
#TudorHistory #CardinalWolsey #Scandal #HenryVIII #HiddenHistory #HistoryRevealed #TudorSecrets